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The tune Groove Merchant, which is in Bb, ends with this turn around:

Bb/F
D7/F#
G-7
Eb7
C-7
F7
Bb

I'm good with everything except the Eb7. Without that, it's a pretty basic I III vi ii V turnaround. The Eb7 is easy to play over and sounds like it fits right in. But what is it's function?

I don't understand the Eb7, which makes the Cm7 sound rather weak. Maybe an E°7 instead would sound better....

If you can replace Cm7 on Ab maj7, then Eb7 will be dominant and Cm7 - replacement for new tonic Abmaj7. All progression looks in the key of Bb May.

Eric399: If you can play the progression in the context of the tune, I, at least, think the Eb7 sounds fine. It's a gospelly flavored jazz tunes, with a bit of a New Orleans feel.

Keep in mind that is less than 1/2 the story. Starting one measure before and continuing multiple times in the second ending, the Eb7 functions in an entirely different manner.

Emenelton: can you explain what you mean? Just before the turnaround the Eb7 is used in a pretty standard I-IV movement. How does that help explain its presence in the turnaround?

This chart:

http://www.guitarcats.com/realbook-jazz-standards/groove-merchant

That's the chart I use. Forgive me but I don't get your point.

I was talking about the Eb7 function in the 2nd ending.

In the second ending, it makes some sense. That ending, in effect, starts a turnaround, aborts it, and starts it over again. The Eb7 served the function of getting you back to the tonic to start the turnaround again.

That, however, doesn't explain it's function in the first ending. Perhaps it's just one of those things that sounds good and doesn't need any further explanation!

I'm not trying to be unclear but trying to start a conversation.
Nahum(sp) defined it's function correctly in the first ending. In the second ending the first two times it appears it has a different but all together common function.

In the 2nd ending the turn around is not started and then aborted either, also the Eb7 doesn't get you back to the tonic in the first ending, it is just a borrowed dominant resolving to cm7(per Nahum), it does however, 'get you back to the tonic' when it resolves directly to the temporary tonal center of F(Bb/F) in the second ending. That two bar progression appears three times in a row in the second ending; the third time heading into the turn-around.

My question is; what do you think the chord progression is in the 2nd ending?

The discussion of one is intertwined with the other.

Dead right! - and that's my guiding principle in everything in music. I've no use for the idea of function. Either these changes are commonplace or they're unusual, verging on odd/unpleasant....or they're somewhere in between. If you play a lot of music you recognise those things you've heard before, or you're pulled up with a start by something that sounds good but is original or quirky. Groove Merchant is a good jazz instrumental but nothing ground breaking.

OPs' original inquiry

Once you understand the mechanics, you can identify these things in other songs.

Dire, I understand you are reacting to me, but applying your response to the OPs' first post is essentially telling him 'I reject the premise of your question. Dom.7th chords cannot have functions attributed to them'.

True, I'm responding to both of you but a paraphrase of my response would be "there is no question to answer".

This is a blues ... not in 12-bar form, but a blues just the same. The Eb7 is a straight-up blues chord, IV7, every place it appears in the tune.

dire,

Fair enough.

I did change my post to not directly infer things to you but you must have copied it before I changed it.

If you look at the third beat of the forth measure of Misty, you'll see a dom. 7th. functioning the same way.

I noticed you referred to the Eb7 as a IV7.

If you had to describe bars 13-18(through the second ending); with Roman Numerals, how would you?

So, with Misty in 'C' you mean the Bb7 leading back to the Cma7.

Earlier, you say
But I take the tonal centre of Bb/F here as Bb, in which case we have Eb7 -> Bb, which isn't the same thing as your Misty change, above.

Yes to Misty.

Calling a chord a dominant is a description of it's function and a dominant chord's function is defined by what it resolves to. If you do a Roman Numeral analysis of 13-18(2nd. ending); what would it be?

But if your dogma leads you in the wrong direction, you need to question the dogma.

As I said, the two fragments you've cited are quite different from each other.

If RNs are leading to an error, you have to wonder why.